The section headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting the subject matter described in any way.
Antennas are generally mounted upon rigid support structures, such as, for example, an antenna mast. The support structure positions the antenna in view of a target radio signal and maintains the antenna's orientation despite vehicular movement and/or environmental factors such as wind, rain, and blowing debris.
When used in robotic applications, antenna support structures may also require a significant amount of flexibility. A robot, for example, may roll or otherwise hit its antenna on various objects during its normal course of operation and/or have its antenna folded for storage, thereby requiring the support structure to adequately absorb such forces (i.e., compressive and/or radial loads) without permanently bending or breaking.
To maximize the responsiveness of an antenna (i.e., to position and maintain the antenna in view of a target radio signal), it may be desirable, therefore, to provide an antenna support structure that is relatively straight and rigid under normal operating conditions such as, for example, driving over rough terrain which would tend to cause an antenna to want to wag. To prevent damage to an antenna when the antenna is severely bent, it also may be desirable to provide an antenna support structure that readily buckles under increased loads (i.e., in response to compressive and/or radial loads). It may be desirable, therefore, to provide an antenna support structure with a non-linear response to deflection forces exerted upon the antenna, which may buckle under a predetermined radial force, but regain a relatively straight and rigid form upon removal of the force.